The Fourteenth Truth of Ifa: Sacrifice Guarantees Success!
June 2020
Homage To The One Who Sends and to those who are sent! Homage to Orisa and Egun!
Ifokanbale Omo Orisa! Peace of Mind from Olodumare Children of Orisa!
Ire ati Ayo!
Good Tidings and Joyfulness!
I honor your gods, I drink from your wells, I bring an undefended heart to our meeting place. I have no cherished outcomes, I will not negotiate by withholding, and I am not subject to disappointment. I am here! And They are all here with me! Ase! Ase! Ase!
Lord of my Ancestors, I have no knowledge except that which is given to me through inspiration, that which is sent to me by way of an angel, and that which I am blessed to acquire by way of some discipline. I thank you for guiding my words, my thoughts, and my actions so that all that I say and do may serve to point the seekers in the right direction. Ase! Ase! Ase!
Thank you for visiting our website and for reading our blog! We pray you find some of what you are seeking to remember.
Some religious philosophies and paths tell the adherents that even their place in the ‘hereafter’ is not guaranteed. The adherents’ success in achieving the purpose of their existence, and their personal dreams, goals, and aspirations in this life, is based upon a somewhat uncertain, indefinite, or unclear journey. The result is that disagreements, dissension, and divisions arise. Sometimes bringing bitterness and even hatred into the community of believers.
The Fourteenth Truth of Ifa, that ‘Sacrifice Guarantees Success’ makes a very powerful statement about this tradition, the Spiritual Tradition of Ancestor and Orisa Worship. Ifa says there is a way to navigate your journey in the L’oja. There is a way to fulfill the purpose of your existence, the reason that you chose to come into this world and life. There is a way for you to fulfill your personal dreams, goals, and aspirations. And then Ifa offers as one of its truths, that the success that you seek, whether it is to gain, to avoid, to advance, to overcome, or to evade, is guaranteed. Make sure you read the small print. The guarantee is conditional. The condition is not bad or out of line in any way. The condition is that it is up to YOU to choose (ori) to see (sha).
Ifa points the way to the immense joy of ‘successful living’ not by pointing or directing the devotees towards someone or something outside of themselves. Ifa, instead, points the devotee toward their own Higher Self, towards their own Ori, towards their own God-Self, and instructs the devotee to LISTEN and FOLLOW the guidance of their Ori. It is said, that when a devotee goes to the Babalawo for a Divination, the answers that come are by the guidance and permission of that person’s Ori. Nothing proceeds or emerges without the permission of our individual Ori. When the energies of the L’oja and the forces of everyday life overwhelm, or confuse, or raise doubt in the devotee, drowning out the voice of their Ori, they turn to the Babalawo or Iyalorisa to help them reset Isopo (connectivity) between physical Ori (influenced by the L’oja, marketplace) and Spiritual Ori (ruled by the Ase Orun Alafia, Spirit of Heaven.)
There are perhaps as many definitions or ideas about the notion of ‘success’ as there are people who will read this Post. Probably more! The notion of ‘sacrifice’ is also a little difficult to pin down. What one person considers to be a sacrifice may be different for someone else. Consider all of the sacrifices of so many kinds that are being made right in this moment of writing, sacrifices emerging from the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Plague of Racism and division that is presently raging across the United States, and around our world.
Sacrifice can be slaughtering an animal as our Ancestors have done for thousands of years, or surrendering a possession as an offering to God or to a divine or supernatural figure. The word ‘sacrifice’ comes from Middle English and Latin roots related to ‘sacer’ meaning ‘holy’. In the religious or spiritual context, at its root, a ‘sacrifice’ is intended to be a holy and spiritual act.
Sacrifice is also an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy. In that sense it is both a negotiation and a strategy.
Ifa prescribes many different sacrifices. If we wanted to delineate them into broad categories we could say that there are firstly, ‘ebos’ (sacrifices called for in the context of a reading, or a voluntary offering to Orisa or Egun – Ancestors), and secondly, ‘ipese’ (a provision made beforehand in order to proceed with a ritual or ceremony.) The following Ifa Sayings and Proverbs will hopefully give you an appreciation for the beauty, power, and perspective of this amazing Spiritual Tradition and why it is adhered to by tens of millions of devotees around the world.
Awe ati Ebo ni muni ri bi Orisa!
Fasting and Rituals transform you into the image of Orisa!
Ebo fin, Eru da!
The offerings are accepted evil departs.
Ifa kii puro, Ifa kii seke; Ohun tiyoo sele nifa nwi!
Ifa does not lie, Ifa does not back bite, Ifa simply says what will happen!
Ifa kii puro! Opele kii seke!
Ifa does not lie! Opele does not mislead! (Opele is one of the divination tools of the Babalawo.)
Ohun Ori wa se, koma ni s alai se eo!
What Ori comes to fulfill, it cannot but fulfill it!
Ojo o buru, ebo nii gbe ni o!
In the days of turbulence, it is ebo (sacrifice) that saves!
Ori Inu wa maba tode je!
May our Spiritual Ori not be in conflict with our physical Ori!
Ori lomo ibi ton gbe ese re!
Ori alone knows the direction of the feet.
Riru ebo ni igbe ni. Riru ki igbe eyan!
It is the offering of sacrifice that brings blessings. Neglect of sacrifice blesses no one!
There is so much more, but these few Sayings and Proverbs can help you to see how Ifa points the way to enhance the connection between you and the true source of your power and guidance, your Spiritual Ori and your God-Self.
Ranti tani iwo ni!
Ranti etiri iwo de!
Remember who you are! Remember why you came!
The idea of following the guidance of one’s own Ori points to the power that lies in each of us, in too many cases however, it remains untapped. Hence the Fifteenth Truth of Ifa acts as a reminder to override any sense of limitation. Truth (15) of Ifa states, The Orisa live within us!
I hope you will reflect on this message and share your comments and questions with me for our future Posts on this and other topics.
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Modupe! Thank You!
Aajiirebi! May the Unblemished Cloth of Orunmila Continue to cloth us with the Wisdom Of the Here and the Hereafter!
Ase! Ase! Ase!
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Ki Olodumare, Orisa, ati Egun fifun e ni Itona, Imoye, ati Opo Ire!
My Olodumare, Orisa, and Ancestors bestow on you Guidance, Wisdom, and Abundant Blessings!
